740.5/9–1250
The Secretary of Defense (Johnson) to
the Secretary of State
1
top secret
Washington, September 12,
1950.
Dear Mr. Secretary: I am forwarding herewith
an expression of US policy and intentions with respect to Western Europe
prepared by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in which I fully concur.
As you know, the President, after consideration of the views of the
National Security Council and the Acting Secretary of the Treasury, has
approved our joint letter to him of 8 September 1950. This action has
been circulated as NSC 82, “US Policy
Regarding Strengthening the Defense of Europe and the Nature of
Germany’s Contribution Thereto.”2 It is my belief that this approval of NSC 82 constitutes approval of the
principles set forth in the attached document.
[Page 291]
I believe that the presentation of these views at your September 15th
Council meeting3 could have a profound
effect on the Council and thereby on the other governments signatory to
the Treaty. I therefore strongly recommend that, if you concur, the
enclosed paper be presented as a US view in connection with the most
important matter of the voluntary increase in defense forces by the
European nations.
I am requesting the Executive Secretary of the National Security Council
to circulate this paper for the information of the Council in connection
with their approval of NSC 82.
Sincerely yours,
[Enclosure]
Paper Prepared by the Joint Chiefs of
Staff4
top secret
[Washington, undated.]
United States Views on Measures for the Defense
of Western Europe
- 1.
- The United States Government has given a great deal of
consideration to the problem of the defense of Western
Europe and to the extent of United States participation
therein. It has been readily apparent that this defense can
be successfully accomplished only as a combined undertaking.
Western Europe cannot by itself in the near future, raise,
equip, and maintain the requisite forces to insure this
defense; neither can U.S. assistance in the form of forces,
equipment or dollars turn the scales without the all-out,
honest efforts of all the nations of Western Europe.
- 2.
- The United States is concerned over the scale and vigor of
the efforts of the nations of Western Europe towards the
guarantee of their own security. The importance of Western
Europe to the over-all defense of the North Atlantic Treaty
area is recognized and emphatically reaffirmed. However, the
extent of U.S. preoccupation with and participation in the
defense of Western Europe cannot and should
[Page 292]
not serve to decrease the
efforts of the Western European nations themselves whose
very existence is dependent on the success of this
defense.
- 3.
- Reduced to essentials, the problem resolves itself into a
need for increased effort on the part of all the nations
signatory to the North Atlantic Treaty. The United States
Government wishes therefore, to enunciate and affirm the
following principles:
-
a.
- Support of the defense of the North Atlantic
Treaty area is the primary military commitment of
the United States.
-
b.
- The defense of Western Europe is recognized as
being of the greatest importance to the defense of
the treaty area in general and to the ultimate
security of each of the signators in
particular.
- 4.
- In concrete implementation of the above principles, the
United States Government desires to express the following
statements of policies and intentions over and above those
measures previously contemplated or effected by the United
States:
-
a.
- We are planning to augment the U.S. forces in
Europe at the earliest practicable date. Our
planning now envisages over-all U.S. forces in
Europe on the order of 4 infantry and the equivalent
of 1½ armored divisions and 8 tactical air groups,
and appropriate naval forces, to be in place and
combat ready as expeditiously as possible.
-
b.
- In addition to the above, it is the intention that
the United States dispatch to Europe on the outbreak
of hostilities, further forces, the size and
composition of which will be discussed on the Chiefs
of Staff level.
- 5.
- It is contemplated that the initial allocation of the
above discussed forces will be to the general area of the
Western European Region. This is in the expectation that
that region will face the main effort of the enemy and with
the recognition that that region, centrally located, is best
suited to permit the rapid reinforcement of either the
Northern or Southern regions. In other words, the United
States Government, while originally allocating these forces
to the area of the Western European Region, intends that
they should be employed to the best interests of NATO as a whole and does not
intend to restrict their utilization to any one area.
- 6.
- In addition to the above commitments with respect to
forces, the United States Government recognizes the need for
developing arrangements for operational planning, command
and coordination of training. We stand ready to take part in
discussions on these matters and to participate in any
arrangements for their solution.
- 7.
- The foregoing statement has been made as a clarification
of the position of the United States Government with respect
to the defense of Western Europe. It plans to commit the
forces discussed herein in expectation that they will be met
with similar efforts on the part
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of the other nations involved. It is
now squarely up to the European signatories to provide the
balance of the forces required for the initial defense. Firm
programs for the development of such forces represent a
prerequisite for the fulfillment of the above commitments on
the part of the United States.
